Research and Development (R&D) activities are organized into problem domains - broad problem categories in the region with spatial definition and both biophysical and socio-economic dimensions.

At present, focus is on the problem domains. These are the:

• High potential highlands focusing on problems of intensification and sustainability.
• Lake Victoria and its basins focusing on environmental problems of the lake , and its interaction with the land use in the lake basin.
• Buffer zones around forests focusing on on-farm tree domestication and biodiversity.
• Semi-arid environment focusing on agroforestry systems for tree products and ecosystem services.
• Peri-urban environment focusing on agroforestry systems for tree products, income and ecosystem services for urban communities.

ICRAF-ECA has had significant achievements in the following areas of research:

• Identified and integrated into smallholder farming systems high valuable fodder tree species.
• Identified over 10 leguminous trees and shrubs such as Sesbania sesban that can improve the ability of natural fallows to enhance soil fertility and improve maize yields.
• Identified Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower) as a rich organic fertiliser that smallholder farmers can use and at least double their crop yields.
• Developed fodder technologies based on species such as Calliandra calothyrsus that smallholder farmers in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are now using either as substitutes or supplements to commercial feeds, and are saving 100–120 US$ annually.
• Trained over 200 scientists, technicians, and development agents from both research and development institutions. This capacity has helped institutionalise AF R&D in the region.
• Trained 70 teaching staff in the planning, organization and implementation of short courses on introductory agroforestry and provided support to a number of national institutions for the development of extension materials and the organization of national agroforestry workshops.